Automatic brake



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NATHANIEL W. BI SSELL, OF STROUDSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 261,424, dated July 18, 1882. Application filed May.17,1882. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, N. W. BISSELL, of Stroudsburg, in the county of Monroe and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Wagon-Brakes and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriplion of the invention; such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and useit, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in automatic wagon-brakes; and it consists in the combination of an endwise-moving tongue which is held between the front ends of the hounds, and which is connected at its rear end with suitable levers for operating the brakes, and which has secured to it a locking device, by means of which the tongue can be prevented from moving when it is desired that the brake shall not operate.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap and simple device whereby the tongue can be locked in position whenever it is so desired, and thus prevent the tongue from operating the brakes.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective of the rear end of the tongue, the front end of the hounds, and the locking device.

A represents the axle, B the hounds, and O the brake-levers. The front ends of the hounds are secured together by means of the bandsD,andhave suitableshoulders,E,formed in their inner sides, so as to act as stops for the endwise-moving tongue F. This tongue is supported in the bands D, and is provided with corresponding shoulders, G, so as to limit the length of its movement. Fastened to the rear end of the tongue are the connecting-rods H, which have their rear ends fastened to the pivoted levers I. These levers are pivoted at their inner ends upon the top of the axle, and

have fastened to their outer ends the connecting-rod J, which operates the brake-levers 0. When the tongue is pulled forward the brake-- levers are drawn back from the Wheels; but when the tongue is pushed backward, as when the team is stopping or holding back while going downhill, the brakes are forced against the wheels.

pose of operating the brakes. ver is turned backward, so that the prong or In order to prevent the tongue from operating the brakes, there is pivoted upon the top of the 'tongue the curved lever O, which has the prong or projection P extending from one edge near its inner end. When this lever is thrown forward its front end rests upon the top of the tongue, and the tongue can then be moved freely back and forth for the pur- I/Vhen the leprojection P will catch in the hole Q, that is made in the rear end of the tongue, the tongue will be locked rigidly in place, so that it cannot move the brakes. When the tongue is pushed backward as far as it can go this hole Q will coinejust back of the rear edge of the rear strap, D, and the tongue will then be locked in place, holding the brakes against the wheel. When the tongue is drawn forward, so that this hole Q comes just in front of the front edge of the rear strap, D, and the prong or projection is made to catch in the hole, the tongue is prevented from moving backward by the prong catching against the front edge of the band. The tongue is then locked forward, holding the brakes away from the wheels.

. As a cord or wire will be attached to the upper end of this piv'oted lever, the driver sitting on his seat has but to pull upon the cord and he can lock the tongue in any position he sees fit without any trouble.

Having thus described my invention, I claim l. The combination of the axle, the hounds, theguiding-bands,the endwise-movingtongue, the two sets of connecting-rods, thelevers pivoted upon the top of the axle, and the brakes, the parts being arranged and operated substantially as shown.

2. The combination of the bounds, the supporting-bands, the endwise-moving tongue, and the pivoted lever having the prong or projection to catch in the hole Q, which is made in the rear end of the tongue, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

*NATHANIEL W. BISSELL.

Witnesses:

. FRANK G. KERR,

J osEPH STAPLES. 

